Post anchor

ABSTRACT

In abstract, a preferred embodiment of this invention is a post anchor in the form of spaced, concentrically disposed, interconnected cylindrical bearing surfaces forming a sturdy reinforcing anchor for elongated post-like members.

United States Patent Mintz 1 POST ANCHOR [72] Inventor: Maxie R. Mintz, 543 Dale Drive,

Fayetteville, NC. 28303 [22] Filed: June 11, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 45,342

[52] US. Cl. ..52/166, 52/298, 52/704 [51 Int. Cl. ..E02d 5/74 [58] Field of Search ..52/298, 296, 704, 706, 708,

, [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,032,149 5/1962 Manghise ..52/156 Alter .Q ..5 2/156 897,417 9/ 1908 Self ..52/ 166 930,782 8/1909 McMillan ..52/296 608,753 8/1898 Carr ..52/l 66 Primary ExaminerPrice C. Faw, Jr. Att0rney-John G. Mills, Ill

[ ABSTRACT In abstract, a preferred embodiment of this invention is a post anchor in the form of spaced, concentrically disposed, interconnected cylindrical bearing surfaces forming a sturdy reinforcing anchor for elongated post-like members.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDBBTB m2 3.694.978

INVENTOR. MHX/ f1. M/N.7'Z

HTTORNEY POST ANCHOR This invention relates to reinforcing means and more particularly to prefabricated post type earth anchors and stiffeners.

In the past, various attempts have been made to produce preformed post anchors or stiffing means to reduce the time and effort required to install posts in the ground. These devices have taken the form of barbed vanes fixedly secured to the end of the post driven into the ground as well as various outwardly projecting forms which attach to the shank or shaft of the post, either below ground or at ground level. These prior known devices have invariably been expensive to construct, bulky to transport and of questionable utility.

The present invention has been developed after much research and study into the above mentioned problems and is designed to provide a mass producible, inexpensive, light-weight post anchor of superior design and functionable utility. This anchor is preferably constructed from either galvanized metal or plastic (although it could, of course, be constructed from any moldable material such as concrete or terra cotta, if so desired) to prevent deterioration from the elements. Because of the particular design configuration of the present invention, a large surface area is presented against lateral movement as well as longitudinal movement thus effectively giving the holding strength of concrete poured around the post to anchor it without causing the inconvenience associated with concrete mixing, pouring and time loss during set-up. Additionally, using the present invention a post can be steadily inserted in the ground with negligible lateral movement and yet, if the anchors are not fixed to the post, such posts can be removed longitudinally whenever desired.

It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a light-weight, post anchor of superior holding capacity.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a light-weight, strong post type anchor of simplified design.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a post type anchor so designed to utilize the weight of dirt, sand and the like to add both strength and firmness to the installation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a post anchor which presents substantial surface area perpendicular to lateral stress thereby greatly reducing the possibility of lateral movement of such p An additional object of the present invention is to provide a post anchor in the form of two connected, concentrically disposed cylindrical portions of substantial area.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a post anchor which can either be used for removable post installation or for permanent installation.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the post anchor of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of such anchor;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken through lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a post installation utilizing a single post anchor; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of a post installation utilizing a pair of post anchors of the present invention type.

With further reference to the drawings, the overall post anchor of the present invention is indicated generally at 10. This anchor is composed of an internal, post engaging sleeve or cylinder 11 having an interior portion 12 and an exterior portion 13. Concentrically disposed about the post engaging sleeve 11 is an earth bearing sleeve or cylinder 14. This last mentioned cylindrical member or wall has an interior portion 15 and an exterior portion 16.

Disposed in the radial plane between the post engaging sleeve 11 and the earth bearing sleeve 14 is a spacer plate 17. This plate is fixedly secured to the center area of the exterior portion 12 of sleeve 11 and to the central area of the interior portion 15 of sleeve 14, particularly as seen in FIG. 3.

A plurality of at least four generally circular openings 18 are provided in the spacer plate 17. Also a plurality of at least four scallop shaped openings are provided along the periphery of such plate in the area where the same is attached to the earth bearing sleeve 14 to give such plate a total of at least eight openings therein.

If desired, one or more openings (not shown) can be provided through the post engaging sleeve on either or both sides of the spacer plate 17 so that post attaching means such as pin 24 may be passed therethrough as will hereinafter be described in more detail.

In actual use of the post anchor 10 of the present invention, a generally circular in cross section post hole 20 is dug in the earth or ground 21. A first anchor is placed'in the bottom of the hole and a post 22 is inserted in sleeve 11. A fill 23 of dirt, sand, grave], or other suitable material is placed in the post hole around the post and above the anchor. This fill material 23 will filter through openings 18 and 19 of plate 17 to fill the cavity therebelow. The weight of the fill material thus surrounding the post anchor prevents the same from moving laterally because of the large area presented against such movement by the earth bearing sleeve 14 and against possible vertical movement by the large bearing surface presented thereagainst by plate 17.

As the post hole 20 is almost completely filled with fill material 23, a second post anchor 10 is slipped over the post 22 and into the upper portion of the post hole. Additional fill material is then placed in this second mentioned anchor until the same is filled and the fill material 23 is level with the surface 21' of the earth 21. With the post 22 thus installed in the ground and in the two post anchors, the same is rigidly supported against lateral movement by not only the exterior surface 16 of sleeve 14, but also by the usual pressure of the fill 23 against the sides of the post and against the exterior portion 13 of sleeve 12. The post will not tend to dig into the anchor because of the large bearing area provided by the interior portion 12 of sleeve 1 l.

A post installed as described above may be removed from its anchored position with only frictional resistance if the same is moved longitudinally upwardly.

Should it be desirable to permanently install the post in the earth, a pin like structure (not shown) can be passed through the opening or openings hereinabove described in the sleeve 11 and secured to the post thus securing such post to its anchor. lf longitudinal movement is then attempted, all of the weight of the fill, due to the large bearing surface of the spacer plate 17, will be holding thereagainst.

The post anchor of the present invention is extremely useful when posts are to be removably positioned in a paved area. This type installation is often desirable to install tether ball masts, badminton and volley ball posts and the like as well as temporary fencing or partitions. In this application of the present invention, one or more anchors can be installed with the uppermost anchor being at grade or pavement surface level. The anchor thus acts as not only an anchoring means but also as a form means to provide an openingfor the post to be later removably inserted into.

In some applications, the post anchor of the present invention may be inserted as seen in FIG. 4, particularly if such post is not to extend a great distance above the surface of the ground.

Although a generally circular in cross section sleeve 11 is shown in the plan view seen in FIG. 1, it is, of course, within the contemplation of the present invention to form this sleeve in other configurations if the cross section of the post being used so dictates. In other words, if the post anchor were specifically produced to be used with, for example, angle iron shaped metal posts, then the sleeve 11 of such anchors would be L- shaped in cross section. Likewise, if square posts were used, then the sleeve 11 could be manufactured in a square cross section configuration. Unless large quantities of a particular configuration are needed, however, a sleeve that is circular in cross section is considered more universally adaptable to varying configurations of posts than any other single shape.

Although other configurations could obviously be used, the location and spacing of the openings in spacer plate 17 are of specific utility. Once the anchor has been inserted into the post hole and as the fill material 23 is added, such material will not only fill the cavity directly below the central portion of the spacer plate as it passes through the circular openings 18, but also it will pass through the scallop shaped openings 19 to fill the void therebelow against and adjacent the interior portion of the earth bearing sleeve 14. This filling adjacent the interior surface of the outer sleeve as well as in the area between the outer and inner sleeves further stiffens the anchor against lateral movement or dislodgement.

The beneficial effects of using the improved post anchor of the present invention are at least three-fold. First, the large circumference of the outer or earth bearing sleeve presents a much larger more flattened surface area in any given direction in which the post vention is that the spacer plate, when secured to the post, will present a large, at surface area against longitudinal stresses placed on the post and will hold the same with all of the anchoring weight of the compacted fill material thereabove.

A third effect of utilizing the post anchor of the present invention is that the fill material between the inner and outer sleeve acts similar to such material being placed in a tube. Any tendency of the inner sleeve to move toward the outer sleeve would be prevented not only by the spacer plate 17 but also by the compacted fill material between the said two sleeves.

From the above, it is obvious that the present invention has the advantage of providing an extremely stable, hard to dislocate, post anchor that is inexpensive to manufacture, light-weight to transport, and durable in use. The present invention also has the advantage of being quickly and easily installable without the use of special tools or compounds.

The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive and all changes coming with the meaning equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. In a post type anchoring device for retarding lateral movement of such post in the ground, the improvement comprising: an inner sleeve member adapted to snugly receive a post; a pin like member passing through said sleeve and into said post whereby said sleeve is secured to said post; a spacer plate of substantial area secured to said member and radially disposed therefrom; an earth bearing outer sleeve member secured to and disposed about the circumference of said plate; and at least eight openings in said plate, four of such openings being equi-spaced from each other and midway between said sleeve members, and four of said openings being equi-spaced from each other alternatively between said first mentioned openings and adjacent said outer sleeve member whereby fill material placed on one side of said plate to anchor said post will be able to sift through said openings in said plate and fill any void therebelow to further assist in preventing lateral post movement.

2. The anchoring device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of anchors are secured in series to asingle post. 

1. In a post type anchoring device for retarding lateral movement of such post in the ground, the improvement comprising: an inner sleeve member adapted to snugly receive a post; a pin like member passing through said sleeve and into said post whereby said sleeve is secured to said post; a spacer plate of substantial area secured to said member and radially disposed therefrom; an earth bearing outer sleeve member secured to and disposed about the circumference of said plate; and at least eight openings in said plate, four of such openings being equispaced from each other and midway between said sleeve members, and four of said openings being equi-spaced from each other alternatively between said first mentioned openings and adjacent said outer sleeve member whereby fill material placed on one side of said plate to anchor said post will be able to sift through said openings in said plate and fill any void therebelow to further assist in preventing lateral post movement.
 2. The anchoring device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of anchors are secured in series to a single post. 